Aircraft



Oct. 26, 1937. J. w. DYER ET Al. 2,097,118

AIRCRAFT l Filed July 2e, 19:55 2 sheets-sheet 1 /NVENTON oct. 26,1937.

J. w. DYER ET AL AIRCRAFT i Filed July 26, 1935 2 Sheets-Shea?l 2 -Patented ct.A 26, 1.93.7'

anula John William Dyer and David my, Edinburgh,

Scotland, assis-non to l Edinburgh, Scotland KayGINDlllles Limited,

Application July-26, 1935, Serial No. 33,399 In Great Britain July 27, 1934 This invention relates to aircraft of the kind in which the lift is derived wholly or partly from an overhead rotative wing system, commonly referred to as a rotor, which turns about a more or less vertical axis, and particularly to such aircraft in which the rotor is auto-rotative, i. e., rotated in night under the action of the flight wind, although it is 'applicable to rotors which can be driven in ight. l

In aircraft of this character, it is already known to eiiect or assist the banking of the aircraft for a turn by mounting the rotor in such a manner as to be capable of being inclined laterally in either direction, and it is also known to provide for a fore and aft inclination of the rotor to enable the direction of flight to be changed from the horizontal.

For this purpose, the rotor has usually been mounted on a form of mast lcapable of being swung in either a lateral or in a fore-and-aft direction about its lower end.

For example, the mast has been mounted upon a form of universal joint, in which the lateral and-aft tilting. i

The object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide all improved form of support for the rotor which shall be particularly simple in construction and operation and adjustable to the smallest degree desired.

According'to the present invention, an aircraft of the kind referred to has the characteristic feature that the rotor-supporting member lis capable of tilting laterally and in a fore-and-aft direction by being mounted for such movements upon a single turnable member integral with or mounted upon an axle or equivalent, the arrangement being such that the axis about which lateral tilting takes place and the axis about which tilting in the fore-and-aft direction takes place both intersect the axis of rotation of the axle er equivalent. The rotor-supporting melni the axle or equivalent is turned.

In one construction, the rotor is turnably carried bya mast or the like supported by a hingetilting takes place independently of the forelaterally of the aircraft, the direction of tilt being dependent upon the direction in which pin or Zed-crank member, comprisingcoaxial l bearing parts and a crank pin ally arranged at its lower end on the barrel with its axis substantially vertical' and arranged to the rear of the axis of the axle.

For a fuller description of the type of hingepin member or Zed-crank member preferred for supporting the rotor, reference may be made usefully to the specification `of Patent No.

1,750,778, granted to olie of the presentl applicants, in which various constructions of such members are described, as being used for varying i the angles of incidence of airscrews, revolving blades or wings, and propellers. According to the invention described and claimed in said specication, the means forvarying the angles ofincidence of revolving blades andthe like comprised two coaxial parts turnably arranged in hinge-pin supporting means` anda crank pin member on which each blade was turnably mounted, the axis of the crank pin member being inclined to the common axis of the coaxial parts.

With this arrangement (which we wish to be understood as including its various modifications) by virtue of its molmting, the yblade is rotated substantially about its general longitudinal axis so as to vary itsvangle of incidence,`

and the plane in which the crank pin axis is inclined when in its mid-position is the general plane of rotation. In contra-distinction to this arrangement, in adapting ar crank pin member or Zed-crank member for tilting the'rotor in accordance with the present invention, the plane in which the axis of thecrank-pin member is inclinedA when the rotor is in the normal or mid position the axis of the mast, for instance. is at right angles thereto.

It will'be'readily appreciated that by the use of anarrange'ment of this sort the mast can be tilted laterally at will by rotating the coaxial n parts' of the crank-pin member, whilst dat the same time it is free to tilt about the axis of said crank-pin member (i. e., in a substantially foreand-aft direction) In assembling the parts inY an aircraft, it will be obvious that as the crank-pin member orjits equivalent is inclined to the axls of its supporting parts, either the axis of the crank-pin member or that of said supporting parts can he arranged at rightangles to the longitudinal axis of the machine but, in practice, it is preferred, acoording to the present invention, to adopt the second of these courses, since the longitudinaltiltingofthemastcanthentakeplacealongaline inclined to the longitudinal axis of the machine and, consequently, the unbalancing of the lift due to the variation in the angles of incidence of any laterally extending blades will be compensated, at least to some extent, by the shifting of the rotor centre with respect to the of gravity of the aircraft. f

In a constructional embodiment of the invention, themast on which the rotosl turnsisprovid at its lower endwith apair of parallelbracket members extending vertically downwards. Bald bracket members are pivotally'carried at one end bythecrankpinmemberofthedeviceforeifect-- axis lies between the crank-pin member and the anchoring link, since in this way-'the load is di' videdmore equallybetweenthesetwoparts. 'I'his feature is also of importance in facilitating the carrying out of the invention described in our copending applicationv of even date relating to the adjustment of the angles of incidence of the rotor blades..` In the said cO-pending pllilm. the operating means of the incidence-control is describedasbeinginthel axisofrotation of the rotor and comprising, in one embodiment, a shaft threaded, or `otherwise adapted, for reciprocation in the rotor-mast. Clearly, it is desirable toleaveaclearspace fortheeofsaidahaft throughtherotorsupportandforthisreasmthe two inventionsareprefcrably-uscdinconjlmction witheachother. y

An arrangement constructedin accordance with thepresent invention, with or without the arrangement olf the incidence-control operating means iust described, can also be usefully combined with the features of the invention formingthesubiectofanotherofourco-pendiapof even date'relatingto themounng of' thepiniontrammittingtheinitialdrivetotherotorhub. Accordingtothatinventiomthcpinion isao'mountedastobecapableofbeingswung intooroutofmeshwithgeaxixgassodatedwith thehuband,inoneform,iaklcribcdalbelng eccentricallymountedinarotatablelumt. In invention with the present one, the pinion support is eaniedlu the' lower end oftherotormaatorthebl'acketlalodatedthere-- un A 'merotaticnofthecrank-linmemberforeffcctingiateraltiltingofthemastobviomlycan. llecarrlcdontillitnycollvenientnimmer,erg.,V

by means. of a rotatable shaft operated manually in any suitable way or it may be power operated. Conveniently, however, the shaft is coupled to a turnable control arranged in the cockpit of the aircraft.

One constructional form of the invention is described, by wayof example, on the accompanying sheets of drawings. whereon:

Hg. 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of the rotor-supporting mastand its associated mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view corresponding to Fig. 1 and partly in section;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line B-B 'innemend Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, lustrating the mounting of the mast upon the zed-crank member.

Referring to the drawings:

The hollow mast I is forked at its-lower end and provided with two downwardly depending lateral cheeks 2 and 3 which are journalled, respectively, upon the bearing parts I and 5 of a hinge-pin or zed-crank barrel 6 keyed upon the zed-crank axle l. 'Ihe latter is -journalled in bearings 8 and 9 supported in the side cheeks of the rotor-supporting bracket Iii which is mount- `ed upon a pylon structure extending upwards from the fuselage. As will be seen from Fig. 2. the axis A-'A of the coaxial parallel bearing parts 4 and S of the zed crank barrel is inclined to the axis B-B of the zed crank axle 1 and, this being the case, either the axis of the barrel 6 or the axis of the axle I can be arranged at light angles to the centre line C-C of the aircraft but itis preferred to arrange the axis of the axle at-right angles to the centre line CC, since the longitudinal tilting'of the mast I will then take place along a line inclined to the centre line of the machine and, consequently, any balancing of the lift due to the variation in the angles of incidence of any laterally extending blades will be compensated, at least to some extent, by the shifting of the rotor centre with respect to the centre of gravity of the aircraft. Side plates II and I2 are secured, respectively, to the side cheeks 2 and 3 and extend rearwardly of the mast I as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and`4, and at their rear ends are interconnected by a pin I2 upon which a pivot v2Iwhichisaecu'redtotheexteriorofthebascof vthe rotor-supporting bracket Il,theupper end of acabledrumbeingkeyedtothelowerendof thedmm 2l androtatably arranged in the interlor of the bearing housing by means of the lower ball-bearings 2l. Thus, the drum 25 and drum 2l can turnas annit withinfthebearing housing2'llmttlmyarexedagainstaxialmovement relaiive to thehonsing by,mea'ns of a nut .llwhichisscreweduponthebottomendofthe drum. Thedrum2lisprovided with grooves II for the reception of an operating cable.

Alplevioullymenomthesidecheeks2and mechanism described above, forms means forn anchoring the mast to the rotor-supporting bracket Il and it also formsa link in the chain of mechanism for adjusting the fore-and-aft'inclination of the mast.

The zed crank, constituted by the axle 'land the barrel I having its axis A-A inclined tothat -Y B-B of the axle, is ofcourse one constructional vform of zed crank or hinge-pin member such as described and claimed in Patent No. 1,75Il,'l78 granted to one of the present applicants as being used for varying the angles of incidence of airscrews.- revolving blades or wings and propellers. In its present application to the lateral tilting of the rotorhub IA, however, the horizontal or substantially horizontal piane in which.

theaxisA- 'ofthezedcrankbarreliisdisposed when in the mid position is at right angles to the axis of the'mast -I, see Fig. 1. Thus, to

obtain the lateral tilting of the mast l it' is only necessary to turn the zed crank axle 1, the mastA at the same time being free (unless restrained) to tiltin a fore-and-aft direction about the common axis of the bearings l and of the zed crank barrel 6. Y

Suitable means are provided for restraining orv controlling the fore-and-aft movement of the mast I about the bearing parts] and 5, such means in this construction consisting of the mechanism comprising the pin I3, the link I8, the screwed spindle 22 and its housing/25. 'Ihe foreand-aft inclination of the mast I can obviously be varied by turning the pulley 28 and thereby raising or lowering the rear ends of the plates II and I2 and turning the mast about the' common axis of the zed crank barrel 6.

1. An aircraft of the kind referred to, comprising an axle arranged at right angles, or substantially at right angles. to the fore-and-aft plane of symmetry of the aircraft, a barrel xed on the said axle with its axis inclined to the axis of the axle, a rotor-supporting mast or the like pivotally arranged at its lower end on the said barrel with its axis substantially vertical and arranged to the rear of the axis of the said axle and means for controlling the pivotal movement of the mast or the likein a'fore-and-aft direction about the said barrel. A

2. An aircraft Aas claimed in claim 1, wherein the lower end of the mast or the'like is forked and comprises arms pivotally mounted on bearing parts of the said barrel, the axle on which the barrel is xedbeing turnably arranged in bearings formed in a fixed part mounted upon the fuselage and the forked end of the mast or the like being operatively connected to a link which acts to anchorthe Vmast or the like to the d said fixed part. Y

3. In an aircraft of the type in which the lift a'oe'agrusl Adirection bearingpartslandiofthebarrelofthe'zed.V

manually :eine am of said rotatable member. y Y

4. A combination according to claim 1 in which the axle isturnableto vary'the inclination of the Inter-supporting mast or the like under the control of thepilot. Y'

l v kindreter-redto,coui-V prisingan axle supportedin the structure ofthe `-aan amarrar aircraft, a barrel ilxedon said axle wlthits axis inclined to thea'xis ofthe axle. a rotor supportjing mast; or the'like pivotally arranged at its lower end on said barrel`with itsaxis substan-` .tially .vertical and arranged to of the :axis of the-.axle 'andgmeans for controlling the pivotall movement ofjthe ma'stor the like in a fore-and-aftdirection about said barrel.

6. A combination according to claim'5 in which the means for Acontrolling the pivotal movement of the .mast vorthe'likein a fore-and-aft tion, is-,under the control of vthe,

'1. A combinationl according to -claim 5, in which the axis of', the is inclined to the longitudinal axis-ofthe. aircraft, whereby the longitudinaltiltlng of the =r0tor's`upporting mast takes place along 'a line inclined to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft.-

8. In an aircraftV of the` type"referred"to,the"

combination vcomprisinga rotatable member mounted to rotate about an axis iixed in relation to the frame of .the aircraft and extending in a direction generally ltransverse'to the fore-'andaft axis of the aircraft, a rotor-supporting member rotatably mounted upon said lrotary member,

- motion translating means ,between said members arranged to translate "rotationof the rotatable rotor-supporting memberfin a direction substantially parallel to the axis of said rotatable mem- :i5Y member into an` axial tilting movement of the ber, andmeans for tilting the -rotor-supporting member fore-and-aft-of the aircraft about said rotary member.Y

9. In an aircraft of the type'referred to, the combination of a single rotatable member mounted to rotate'about'an axis x'ed inv relation tothe structure of the aircraft, a rotor-supporting member supported by said rotatable member for lateral and fore-and-aft tilting movement relative to said rotatable member, for rotating the rotatable member about its axisl means for Y- tilting said rotor-supporting member'fore-andaft about said rotatable member 'independently of said turning Vmeansjaud motion translating means connecting said vrotaattable member and said rotor-supporting member for translating a rotating movement of said rotarymeansinto a lateral tilting movement of said rotorsupporting member. Y.

l0. In an aircraft vof the -type referred to, the

Y combination of aV rotatable mounted to rotate aboutan axis,xed inv relation to the a tilting movement of said rotor-supporting member 'in 'a Yplane substantiallyparallel to said l11. In an aircraft of the type referred to, the'. combination comprising a rotatable member Vmounted-to rotate about an axis fixed in relation to the frame of the aircraft andextending in a direction generally -transverse to the-fore-and.-

aft direction of the aircraft,.a rotor-supporting member vrotatably mounted imon'said rotary 'u oo structure of the aircraft, a rotor-supporting "1 5- tlally parallel to the axis 0f said rotatable mem- JOHN WIILIAH DYER. I

member, motion translating means between said member in o plone extending in o general vertl- V members errangedeto translate rotation ot the cal and longitudine! direction but oblique to the rotatable member into tilting movement of the longitudinal exil of the oirontt.

rotor-supporting member in a direction substan- 5 ber. and means lor tilting the rotor-supporting DAVID KAY. 

